This week, the website of Wisconsin's First District Congressman Paul Ryan, http://paulryan.house.gov, was named one of the best websites in Congress. Congressman Ryan's office received a 113th Congress Gold Mouse Award from the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF), a non-partisan, non-profit organization working to improve communications between citizens and Congress. This marks the fourth year in a row that Congressman Ryan's website has received an award from CMF.
"I want to thank the Congressional Management Foundation for this award," said Ryan. "Our website receives more visitors on a monthly basis than any of my offices in Washington, D.C. and southern Wisconsin. It's an invaluable tool I use to keep in touch with my constituents in the First Congressional District. And it gives them an easy way to get more details about federal agencies or other issues."
"By demonstrating exceptional accountability and transparency in online communications, Congressman Paul Ryan not only provides benefits to his constituents but the entire Congress," said Brad Fitch, CMF President and CEO. "Congressman Ryan should be congratulated by his constituents, applauded by advocates of good government, and emulated by congressional colleagues."
Out of 435 House offices, Ryan's office was one of 12 to receive a Gold Mouse Award. CMF has developed and refined its criteria over the past decade by using survey research, focus groups with constituents, and interviews with key stakeholders in congressional offices. Reviewers assessed ten categories of criteria: usability of website; timeliness of content; breadth and depth of information on issues; constituent services and casework information; promoting accountability to constituents; legislative process information; district/state information; floor-proceedings information; availability of diverse forms of content; and availability of diverse forms of content channels.